demming, nm 2 Roswell, nm

[Kennyg]

Want to avoid mountains So, can I go north via Hywy 54 to Hywy 380 east and avoid all mountains to Roswell??

[Second_Chance]

NMDriver2 wrote:
If you want to easily get from Deming to Roswell then stay on US 70. There is a long gentle pull from Las Cruces up to the top of San Augustine pass. You almost don't know you are climbing until you get close to the top. It is then a long gentle down hill to the bottom. Flat all the way across the Tularosa Basin to Alamagordo. A gentle series of pulls up to Ruidoso and then gentle down to the 380 junction. From the 380 junction to Roswell you are following a river so there are some curves and up and downs but nothing to cause any trouble.

Do not try to follow 70 through Las Cruces. Instead go south on I-10 to the I-25 north junction and take that back up to catch US 70 as it heads out of town. I would also use the Charlie Lee Relief route (US 54) around Alamagordo. Watch your speed between Alamagordo and Tularosa.

The only way to completely avoid mountains is to drop down to TX and come up 285. Not only is it out of the way, but 285 is under construction according to another post on the forum.

You can go up 54 to 380 and turn east at Carrizozo. As mentioned the road is not as good and there are still a few grades. Interesting places to stop and explore though if you have time and like old west history.

^^ Best advice right here.

(Native of southern New Mexico)

[Second_Chance]

SidecarFlip wrote:
I hunted the Rosewell area 2 years ago for Mule Deer and I don't remember any hard pulls. I drove out and back to Michigan, loaded both ways. Out in the bush I was always looking up for flying saucers....lol

You'll have flat top Mesa's but the roads cut between them.

You're talking about approaching Roswell from the wrong direction - OP will be coming from the west. Different story.

Rob

[frizzen]

NMDriver2 wrote:
If you want to easily get from Deming to Roswell then stay on US 70. There is a long gentle pull from Las Cruces up to the top of San Augustine pass. You almost don't know you are climbing until you get close to the top. It is then a long gentle down hill to the bottom. Flat all the way across the Tularosa Basin to Alamagordo. A gentle series of pulls up to Ruidoso and then gentle down to the 380 junction. From the 380 junction to Roswell you are following a river so there are some curves and up and downs but nothing to cause any trouble.

Do not try to follow 70 through Las Cruces. Instead go south on I-10 to the I-25 north junction and take that back up to catch US 70 as it heads out of town. I would also use the Charlie Lee Relief route (US 54) around Alamagordo. Watch your speed between Alamagordo and Tularosa.

The only way to completely avoid mountains is to drop down to TX and come up 285. Not only is it out of the way, but 285 is under construction according to another post on the forum.

You can go up 54 to 380 and turn east at Carrizozo. As mentioned the road is not as good and there are still a few grades. Interesting places to stop and explore though if you have time and like old west history.

x2 on this. Apache Summit between Tularosa and Ruidoso is the highest point but its all a good 4 lane.

[NMDriver2]

If you want to easily get from Deming to Roswell then stay on US 70. There is a long gentle pull from Las Cruces up to the top of San Augustine pass. You almost don't know you are climbing until you get close to the top. It is then a long gentle down hill to the bottom. Flat all the way across the Tularosa Basin to Alamagordo. A gentle series of pulls up to Ruidoso and then gentle down to the 380 junction. From the 380 junction to Roswell you are following a river so there are some curves and up and downs but nothing to cause any trouble.

Do not try to follow 70 through Las Cruces. Instead go south on I-10 to the I-25 north junction and take that back up to catch US 70 as it heads out of town. I would also use the Charlie Lee Relief route (US 54) around Alamagordo. Watch your speed between Alamagordo and Tularosa.

The only way to completely avoid mountains is to drop down to TX and come up 285. Not only is it out of the way, but 285 is under construction according to another post on the forum.

You can go up 54 to 380 and turn east at Carrizozo. As mentioned the road is not as good and there are still a few grades. Interesting places to stop and explore though if you have time and like old west history.

[SidecarFlip]

I hunted the Rosewell area 2 years ago for Mule Deer and I don't remember any hard pulls. I drove out and back to Michigan, loaded both ways. Out in the bush I was always looking up for flying saucers....lol

You'll have flat top Mesa's but the roads cut between them.

[BB_TX]

For lack of any other responses. I would stay on US 70 thru Ruidoso. 70 is a good wide 4 lane highway all the way to 380. It has been several years since I have been thru there, but I don’t remember there being any real mountain driving. Certainly nothing serious. Haven’t been on 54. But that stretch of 380 from 54 to the intersection with 70 is 2 lane with little if any shoulders.